BMW shows 8 Series Convertible testing in Death Valley

The open-top 8 Series will arrive sometime next year alongside the four-door Gran Coupe edition.

BMW has released a few teaser images showing the upcoming 8 Series Convertible undergoing hot climate testing.

The German automaker brought the drop-top prototype to Las Vegas and Death Valley in the USA to expose mechanical and electrical systems to scorching sunlight and temperatures of more than 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

"The camouflaged prototype's trip to the Hoover Dam poses an additional challenge to the vehicle's electronics," the company says. "The exceptionally strong electromagnetic waves from the hydropower plant turbines installed there are the ultimate yardstick for the insensitivity of the electronic systems to external sources of interference."

The 8 Series Convertible is presumably nearing the end of its development testing program, as the first production units are expected to begin rolling off the assembly line sometime next year. The open-air edition will be sold alongside a hardtop coupe, a four-door Gran Coupe and a high-performance M-badged variant.